My reading of the Police Act shows that the Honourable Minister of Interior has no control over the Inspector General of Police. The IGP appears to report directly to the President. There was previously a Ministry of Police Affairs which was merged with Interior in 2015. #EndSARS

The former IG’s seemed to at least regard the erstwhile Ministry of Police Affairs. In 2015, that Ministry was merged with the Ministry of Interior. I was part of a committee to harmonise both Ministries. The report had never been used. Here’s the Act. #EndSARS

There is also a Police Service Commission that is Constitutionally responsible for Appointments, Promotion & Discipline of the Police. A BPSR Functional Review of the Min of Interior in 2016, setting out who should do what, has not seen the light of day. Confusion reigns. #EndSARS

So, what we seem to have now is a Minister of Interior that has no control over Policing. It appears that his remit only covers Civil Defence, Immigration and Prisons. In terms of impunity, these agencies appear to be better behaved than the Police. #EndSARS

Therefore, complaints about policing should really go to the Police Council, chaired by the President. By law, the President has “operational control” of policing. The imperative for Police Reform must come from the President. Enough is enough. #ENDSARSBRUTALITY

While there are many honest, hardworking policemen and women who put their lives on the line daily to protect all of us, they are continually let down by a system of poor pay, lack of equipment and working materials, poor morale and institutionalised corruption. #EndSARS

In such a system, erstwhile functional special operations units, like SARS, can go rogue & get out of hand. It is not clear how successful SARS currently is at tackling robbery as reports of success are grossly outweighed by reports of brutality against innocent citizens. #EndSARS

Those that call for the disbandment of the entire police force overnight are wrong. It will not happen and should not. However, we can adopt a new approach to anti-robbery operations that ensures that young innocent citizens are not the target, as they now appear to be. #EndSARS

Having said all that, I vehemently refuse to bow to the noise of some faux-activists who seek to paint every single policeman as a sadistic, corrupt, rapist. There are many good ones. The Police and the Police Service Commission needs to wake up and tackle misbehaviour. #EndSARS

My belief is that if the operational commander of the Police, Mr President, directs it, serious Police reforms can commence. In 10 years, we’ll have a new Police Force. It’s a shame successive Presidents have failed to do so. The waiting continues. In the meantime #EndSARS .